How farmers’ groups push policy agendas: evidence from rural Thailand

This article analyzes the patterns of farmers’ coalitions and their strategies for participating in the policymaking process in rural Thailand. Groups and coalitions in rural Thailand vary in organizational structure and perspectives on the policy agenda-pushing process. Policy coalitions are classified as state-centered or non-state-centered. The policy agenda-pushing process is classified into vertical and horizontal processes. According to the findings, policy agenda pushing can take various forms. It depends on the organizational structures of farmers’ groups, the role of state agencies in rural society, Thailand’s democratic context, and the level of participation among farmer members. Moreover, some farmers’ groups mainly join state-centered coalitions to receive resources from state agencies. In contrast, others aim to join non-state-centered coalitions for other benefits, such as production knowledge or intellectual advice. While previous studies have focused solely on the impact of organizational factors on agenda pushing, this research links agenda-pushing to structural contexts, such as democratic politics and the state’s role in sustainable rural development, and to micro-level factors, including coalition structures and groups’ policy strategies.